Chapter 435

Book 1 Chapter 435

435.

“Only a bit further!”

Ar yelled from the cliffside’s crest.

Thud-!

Scarcely managing to hook his fingers over the rocky lip, Ar groaned as he hauled his body upward.

With his aura completely sealed away and an overwhelming heaviness weighing down his frame, he had been forced to muster every ounce of his inner power just to scale the sheer, terrifying precipice.

“Huff- huff-”

Having finally dragged himself onto flat ground, Ar lay spread-eagle on the dirt, staring blankly at the sky while gasping heavily for air.

“You did well out there.”

Hearing a familiar voice right beside him, Ar shifted his gaze.

Leo was resting on a nearby boulder, calmly observing Ar’s exhausted state.

“You managed to finish much quicker than I anticipated.”

“Heh. You shouldn’t underestimate me, Black Rabb… Urgh?!”

Ar slammed a hand over his mouth, suddenly struck by a wave of intense nausea from the sheer physical strain.

Watching Ar narrowly avert a messy disaster, Leo remarked casually,

“It looks like Lunia and Driana just completed their run as well.”

“Hmph, which means I still crossed the line first, right?”

Ar proudly puffed out his chest.

“Well, your trial was a solitary endeavor, whereas Lunia and Driana had to work together as a team.”

“What?!”

Hearing Leo’s clarification, a fierce flame of rivalry ignited within Ar’s eyes.

Ar’s ultimate ambition was to follow the path of the legendary Hero and achieve true greatness. In that regard, Lunia and Driana were direct rivals pursuing the very same dream.

Naturally, the specific methodologies they employed and their ultimate endpoints varied. Even so, he couldn’t help but feel a powerful competitive drive against Lunia and Driana, who sought to inherit the legacies of Luna and Dweno, the revered comrades of Arion.

Just as Ar bolted upright, intending to peer over the edge of the steep drop-off,

Thump-!

Two sets of hands clamped onto the stone rim simultaneously.

Snarl-faced and glaring at one another, Celia and Duran hoisted themselves over the edge. Right on their heels, Eiran made her way up as well.

The trio was utterly breathless.

“Excellent work, everyone.”

As Leo offered a small smile while watching them, Duran gave a harsh snort and forced his trembling legs to stand.

“You’re acting awfully pleasant for someone who just sat up here waiting, aren’t you?”

‘Honestly, whenever you look at him, he is the very definition of stubborn pride and sheer willpower.’

Leo thought to himself, glancing up at the blazing sun high above.

“What’s the plan? The instructors are expecting us. Would you prefer to rest a moment?”

“Then, perhaps a brief break…!”

Eiran began to suggest with a warm, hopeful smile, but was instantly cut off.

“Why bother asking something so obvious! We need to push forward immediately!”

Ar crossed his arms tightly and snorted.

Brushing aside her sweat-matted hair, Celia also stood up and said,

“Let’s move, Leo.”

“There’s no point in lingering, Leo Flove.”

Duran’s stern expression made it clear he had absolutely no intention of wasting time.

Seeing the intense drive of her companions, Eiran’s ears slumped in defeat.

“We’ll head out right away, then.”

Nodding at their consensus, Leo pulled a parchment scroll from his coat and ripped it open.

Instantly, a shimmering warp portal manifested before them. Leo stepped through the threshold first, and the rest of the group quickly followed.

“Ah! It’s big brother Leo!”

On the other side of the gateway, Chelsea, who had arrived ahead of time, waved enthusiastically with a bright smile.

Beside her stood Chen Shia, her hands tucked neatly into the billowy sleeves of her traditional Eastern continent garments. Seeing Leo, she offered a warm, pleased greeting.

However, her demeanor shifted drastically when the next two individuals stepped through.

Chelsea stuck her tongue out mockingly at Celia and Duran, whereas Chen Shia was unable to suppress a delighted grin.

Moments later, Ar and Eiran emerged as well.

Spotting Eiran, Chelsea immediately darted over to her side, chattering away with endless energy.

Ar crossed his arms thoughtfully.

“From our academy, Dion and that mindless tiger. From Seirun, we have Eiran. From Lumern, there’s Celia Zerdinger, Duran Moira, Chen Shia, Chelsea Rwalyn, and the Black Rabbit.”

After doing a quick headcount, Ar tilted his head in confusion.

“Who exactly is supposed to be our next instructor?”

“Hmph. My money is on Instructor Zamua from Lumern,” Borman, the massive tiger beastman, declared with absolute certainty. “That incredibly forged physique! A true paragon of masculinity!”

“Didn’t you used to complain that human bodies looked far too fragile for your taste?”

“My perspective shifted completely after witnessing Li Zamua! There are profound lessons to be learned from a man like him! Don’t you agree, students of Lumern?”

“Senior Zamua, is it? If he’s the one teaching us, I can’t say I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’d rather avoid it; it feels like we’d be subjected to nothing but brutal physical conditioning. We literally just got done scaling a massive cliff.”

Both Chen Shia and Celia shook their heads in distaste.

“It makes no difference to me who shows up.”

Duran snorted, keeping his arms crossed.

“Honestly, why am I even stuck here in a place that’s practically overflowing with knight academy students?” Chelsea muttered, a hint of irritation gracing her features.

Chelsea was the sole pure mage among them.

Right at that moment—

Rustle—

The faint sound of footsteps treading upon the grass echoed through the clearing.

Instantly, Ar’s ears twitched alertly, and his nose sniffed the air.

“This distinct rustle of the greenery! This specific scent!” Ar’s eyes lit up with intense recognition. “It has to be him! Ar…!”

“You mean Lord Akan, whom Ar holds in such high regard?” Eiran hastily corrected him.

“Lord Akan!”

In a state of pure frenzy, Ar bolted straight into the surrounding thicket.

“Kyaaaaaaack?!”

A split second later, a bloodcurdling scream rang out.

Ar had latched himself securely onto Arion’s leg, panting erratically with a completely dazed, manic expression.

“Hah-foo! Hah-foo! You have my absolute devotion! Hah-foo! You are magnificent!”

“G-Get away from meeeeee!”

Arion cried out in sheer panic, utterly terrified by the wild, unhinged look in Ar’s eyes.

The students who rushed over in response to the commotion stood frozen, completely dumbfounded by the bizarre spectacle.

Leo stepped forward and firmly grabbed Ar’s tail, attempting to pry him away.

Yet, Ar only clamped down harder, locking his arms and legs around Arion’s limb with desperate, terrifying strength.

“W-What are we supposed to do?” Eiran asked, her face flushing with panic as she tried to assist in pulling Ar free.

Leo let out a heavy, weary sigh. “Put him down.”

“P-Put him down? H-How? If I use too much strength, Ar will end up broken…!”

“Do it cleanly, without causing permanent harm.”

“Cleanly, without causing permanent harm?”

Eiran pondered the instructions for a brief second before reaching out, seizing Ar’s head and chin firmly with both hands.

Snap-!

“Ack?!”

With a swift twist, she snapped his neck to the side.

His posture instantly breaking, Ar began foaming slightly at the mouth and passed out cold.

Leo tossed the limp tail to Dion, who promptly dragged the unconscious Ar over to the side.

Peeking out cautiously from behind Leo, Chelsea turned her gaze toward Eiran, who was looking quite flustered herself.

“Sister Eiran is absolutely terrifying.”

“That was remarkably cold-blooded.”

“Hmph, despite that innocent demeanor, she truly is the second most formidable force in Seirun. Her execution is utterly ruthless.” Duran remarked, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

“N-No, that’s not it. I just… I merely recalled something I read in a book…”

“Wow! That was spectacular. Have you perhaps undergone training in clandestine assassination arts?” Chen Shia chimed in, clapping her hands in genuine awe.

“N-No, I’ve never studied anything so horrific!”

While Eiran vehemently defended herself with a tearful expression against the deliberate teasing of the Lumern students, Leo assisted Arion back to his feet and guided him toward the gathered group.

By this point, Ar had steadily regained his senses. He trembled faintly upon making eye contact with Arion, but he forced himself to suppress the overwhelming urge to charge forward again.

Now that the instructor was officially standing before them, a tense silence fell over the students.

Just moments prior, he had displayed a rather pathetic and clumsy demeanor, yet rumor had it that this very instructor had been personally requested by none other than the Dragon Lord himself.

‘Akan, is it? That’s a name that has never crossed my radar before.’

‘What possessed Ar to act in such a bizarre manner?’

‘He really doesn’t seem to possess much of a commanding presence.’

‘Why has Lord Arion manifested in this current era? Could this be an absolute miracle akin to Lord Luna and Lord Seirun…!’

‘Lord Arion! Lord Arion! Lord Arion! Lord Arion!’

Each student harbored their own inner musings, studying Arion with deeply curious and analytical eyes.

Sensing the thick tension, Akan cleared his throat awkwardly. “Ahem. Greetings to you all. My name is Akan. Though our time together will be brief, I shall be serving as your instructor.”

“Instructor Akan.”

Borman suddenly raised a massive hand. Arion flinched slightly as the tiger beastman—who loomed much larger than him and possessed an incredibly intimidating aura—addressed him directly.

“What is your inquiry?”

“Are you perhaps an alumnus of Azonia?”

“No, I am not.”

As Arion shook his head in denial, Borman gave a slow nod of understanding.

‘Could Lady Azonia ever have envisioned a scenario where an individual would openly question Arion on whether he shared an alma mater with her?’

Remembering Azonia—the legendary champion revered as the pioneer of the academy and the true heir to the Hero’s legacy—Ar couldn’t help but let out a quiet, involuntary chuckle.

Following that, Chelsea raised her hand. Arion felt a wave of relief wash over him seeing that it was Chelsea, the smallest and youngest member of the group, seeking to speak.

“Go ahead.”

“Instructor, I am a dedicated practitioner of pure magic, so why exactly have I been grouped together with all these students who specialize in utilizing Aura?”

“I am aware of your background as a mage, but you are a vanguard spellcaster who operates directly on the frontlines, correct?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“I’ve received quite a few details regarding you from Leo. You possess remarkable agility, do you not?”

“Hehehe.” Chelsea scratched the back of her neck, offering a smug, pleased grin.

“The specific methodology I intend to impart to you today will undoubtedly prove highly advantageous to your combat style as well.”

“Even though it’s fundamentally an Aura-based application?”

“It is, but the core principles can be seamlessly adapted using mana.”

Arion had carefully studied the modern breathing techniques employed by the current generation and restructured the concept of super-senses, ensuring it could be manifested through mana rather than being strictly limited to aura.

‘Naturally, it won’t reach the absolute pinnacle of the super-senses that Arion utilizes personally.’

Still, merely stepping over the threshold into a domain that transcended highly refined physical senses completely revolutionized the dynamics of engagement.

‘That raw capability is undeniably a gift of birth.’

With the extensive evolution of Aura theories over time, an immense array of applied methodologies had surfaced that simply did not exist during the chaotic Age of Calamity.

The Hero’s Breath stood as the absolute zenith of a system forged from the amalgamation of modern Aura scholarship and Arion’s distinct breathing forms. Even if it was a methodology derived directly from his own essence, mastering it instantaneously was an impossible feat, even for someone as exceptionally gifted as Leo.

Yet, Arion had not only grasped the intricate frameworks of contemporary Aura theory in a single glance, but he had also seamlessly integrated them into his alternate system of super-senses, creating an entirely unprecedented discipline.

“What exactly is the nature of this methodology?” Borman inquired, his curiosity visibly piqued.

“It is a sensory refinement system known as super-senses.”

“Super-senses?”

The gathered students exchanged thoroughly perplexed glances upon hearing Arion’s term.

“It is an advanced form of discipline that hones an individual’s sensory perception far past their natural limitations.”

“In what way does that differ from standard sensory enhancement achieved through basic Aura manipulation?”

The students remained entirely unconvinced. The fundamental concept of pushing one’s senses to their absolute peak was nothing new. It was an entry-level skill that every single one of them had mastered from the moment they began training in the ways of Aura.

Observing their skeptical expressions, Arion tilted his head slightly.

“Hmm, well, it entails sharpening your perception to an entirely different stratum altogether. It’s rather difficult to articulate through mere speech. Hmm… Very well. Let us demonstrate it directly.”

Arion turned his attention toward Leo.

“Leo. Would you mind utilizing your magic to completely seal away my vision, my sense of smell, and my hearing?”

At the request, Leo gave a quiet nod of assent.

While the surrounding students watched the sudden development in total bewilderment, Leo wove a spell that effectively nullified every single one of Arion’s vital combat senses, leaving him with nothing but his sense of touch.

Deprived of his primary perceptions, Arion calmly stepped into the center of the open grassy area and spoke.

“Would all of you care to launch a coordinated assault against me simultaneously?”

“Pardon me?”

Aside from the select three who were fully aware of Arion’s authentic identity, the rest of the candidates looked completely dumbstruck. No matter how seasoned a knight or an elite combatant might be, engaging in battle while entirely blinded, deafened, and stripped of scent was an extraordinarily perilous gamble.

“There is no need for hesitation, simply come at me.”

Hearing Arion’s reassurance, Borman stepped forward. “If that is your wish, then I shall not hold anything back.”

“I told you to attack!”

“Ah, right, you can’t hear a word I’m saying anyway.”

Scratching his head awkwardly, Borman dropped into a low, powerful stance.

Thump-!

Without an ounce of hesitation, he lunged violently toward Arion.

Whoosh-!

“…!”

With a fluid, effortless hop, Arion drifted over Borman’s incoming strike.

“Hah. Then let’s see how you handle this!”

Borman immediately unleashed a rapid torrent of heavy punches. Yet, Arion rhythmically swayed his body, evading every single fist thrown his way.

Swoosh-!

With a violent tear in the air, Borman swung his massive arm in a sweeping arc.

Thud-!

Arion lightly touched down, balancing perfectly atop the beastman’s outstretched arm.

Seeing an opening, Dion instantly entered the fray.

Swoosh-!

Dion’s razor-sharp kick whipped through the air, narrowly brushing past Arion’s clothes.

Grab-!

“Ugh?”

In a flash, Arion clamped his hand around Dion’s ankle and gave a sharp tug.

Crash-!

Stripped of his footing, Dion stumbled and hit the dirt hard.

Arion turned his face toward the perimeter where the remaining students stood watching, a calm smile playing on his lips.

“Are you all simply going to stand there and watch?”

“Is he truly operating without sight, hearing, or smell right now?” Chelsea muttered, her expression a mix of awe and slight horror.

It was then that Ar, who had been biding his time, coiled his legs.

Boom-!

Exploding forward with terrifying velocity, he shot toward Arion like a high-caliber projectile.

Whoosh-!

Thud-!

Rumble rumble rumble-! Shatter shatter shatter-!

Ar’s powerful kick slammed directly into Arion’s open palm, coming to an abrupt halt. The sheer kinetic energy caused the earth surrounding Arion’s feet to fracture into violent web-like fissures. Yet, the precise ground directly beneath Arion’s boots remained completely undisturbed.

Ar’s eyes flashed with profound reverence.

‘Truly marvelous, Lord Arion!’

He had perfectly neutralized and dispersed the entire force of the impact.

Seizing Ar by the ankle, Arion casually swung his arm and hurled him upward into the sky.

Simultaneously, Eiran drew her blade and, without a moment’s pause, executed a flawless, blindingly fast sword strike directly at Arion.

“Chelsea, provide support,” Celia commanded swiftly.

Nodding, Chelsea instantly channeled her mana to rapidly close the distance, executing close-quarters magic against Arion.

Despite his vital senses being entirely suppressed, the instructor handled the relentless onslaught of the elite hero candidates without showing the slightest hint of duress.

‘It isn’t just a matter of him overcoming the loss of sight, sound, and smell. The sheer fluidity and economy of this man’s movements are absolutely chilling!’

Celia watched with absolute focus, dissecting every single nuance of Arion’s positioning. Each step he took sent an icy shiver down her spine. He was extracting the absolute maximum level of efficiency while expending the bare minimum amount of physical motion.

This was the absolute pinnacle of what anyone walking the path of martial mastery could ever hope to achieve.

In her entire existence, only a single individual had ever displayed a level of technical prowess capable of striking such profound awe into Celia’s heart: her own cousin, Leo.

‘This man… his capabilities exist on a tier far beyond Leo!’

Yet, his presence was fundamentally distinct from Leo’s. If Leo gave off the impression of a bottomless, unfathomable abyss, then the instructor known as Akan exuded the presence of an unreachable, celestial summit.

As Celia desperately fought to steady her racing heart—

Swoosh-!

Arion caught Celia’s incoming blade cleanly between his index and middle fingers, casually redirecting its trajectory with a gentle flick.

Thud-!

“Hah… Hah…!”

“This is absurd! This man is an absolute monster!” Chelsea gasped out, practically shrieking in sheer exhaustion and disbelief.

Ar, Eiran, Celia, Duran, Chen Shia, Dion, Borman, and Chelsea. An elite squad of eight highly capable warriors had launched a perfectly synchronized assault against him, yet they had failed to make him yield even an inch of ground. Utilizing a combination of Aura and high-level magic, Arion had read the intent behind every single strike, neutralizing or deflecting them effortlessly.

“How can he decipher our exact positioning and intent when his primary senses are completely blocked?”

“Is this the true reality of super-senses?”

As Dion and Borman struggled to catch their breath, the clearing fell silent.

Thump- thump-

“This is turning out to be quite a handful,” Arion murmured softly, reaching up to scratch his cheek. “None of you seem to understand the concept of holding back, do you?”

Hearing Arion’s mild complaint, Leo let out a soft chuckle and whispered in a low, quiet tone,

“I was simply deeply intrigued to find out exactly how much closer I’ve managed to get to your level.”

Chhh-!

With a sharp ring of metal, Leo drew his blade from its sheath.

“Please guide me well.”